Lake Vyrnwy

Address

RSPB Lake Vyrnwy, Llanwddyn, Oswestry SY10 0LZ

Grid ref

SJ016192

Lake Vyrnwy is a reservoir in Powys, Wales, built in the 1880s to supply Liverpool with fresh water. You should be able to hear pied flycatchers and redstarts, see dippers nesting by the rocky streams and goosanders bobbing on the water. Look up and maybe you'll spot a peregrine hunting.

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Welshpool, more than 20 miles away.

By bus

At the end of the dam. Infrequent service to this rural location. Walk in opposite direction to the lake, with the visitor centre on the right.

By road

From Llanfyllin, take the B4393 to Llanwddyn. Continue along the B4393 to Llanwddyn by taking a right turn. At the dam, turn left, then left at the end of the dam. The RSPB visitor centre is on the right.

Group booking information

Groups are welcome, from small to large, with plenty of parking for cars and space for limited number of coaches.

Information and OS maps for group walks are available in our reserve shop.

There are camping sites and other accommodation nearby. Groups are especially welcome in the slower season of spring and autumn when the colours of nature and the diversity of wildlife are at their best.

Schools booking information

Visit Lake Vyrnwy and let us provide your students with unique and memorable learning experiences. You can choose from a selection of half or full-day programmes that will get your group exploring the natural world with exciting hands-on activities. Led by our experienced and dedicated learning staff, programmes are linked to curriculum topics and are carefully crafted so that you and your classes get the most out of their time outdoors.

Recent sightings

Nature spectacles

In spring the reserve comes alive with the arrival of our woodland summer migrants from as far away as Africa. You can see and hear some of these oak woodland breeding specialists such as pied flycatcher, redstart and wood warbler along our woodland trails along with a good variety of other species such as blackcap, garden warbler, willow tit, treecreeper and great spotted woodpeckers.

Along our upland streams you can find the bobbing dipper and grey wagtails searching and diving for food in the fast flowing water with the potential glimpse of our resident otters or wintering kingfishers. A drive along one of our two moorland roads will provide the opportunity for some upland specialists such as whinchat, wheatear, ring ouzel and potentially the elegant hen harrier as it quarters the moorland looking for prey.

In late summer the heather is in full bloom with areas of moorland becoming a rolling carpet of purple and a great nectar source for many insects.

Seasonal highlights

Migrants such as pied flycatchers, redstarts and wood warblers arrive. You may also see the mating displays of great crested grebes. Common sandpipers, dippers and grey wagtails can often be seen around the pool below the dam.

Watch great spotted woodpeckers and siskins at our feeding station. Buzzards should be soaring overhead and golden-ringed dragonflies can be found.

Dabbling ducks such as mallards and teals arrive at the lake, along with little grebes and waders such as oystercatchers.

Migrants like redwings, bramblings and fieldfares arrive and the evenings will often see large roosts of lesser black-backed gulls. You could also see a flock of siskins in the forest and ravens may be seen beginning their mating displaying.

About Lake Vyrnwy

Habitat

At Lake Vyrnwy, you can visit the blanket bog and search out cottongrass, sundews or colourful Sphagnum moss. Admire the lake, surrounding hills and woodlands in their spectacular autumn colours. Enjoy a leaf-crunching walk in the woods.

Conservation

Dry heath on the reserve supports key breeding birds such as ring ouzels, curlews and red grouse. We use mowing and grazing to maintain just the right mix of heather and grassland for these birds.

Oak woodland on the reserve supports breeding birds such as pied flycatchers. We are working with Natural Resources Wales and Severn Trent to look after this habitat. Our measures include controlled grazing, preserving deadwood on the forest floor and pollarding damaged birches.

The RSPB Lake Vyrnwy farm is the largest organic farm in England and Wales and supports farming activities that benefit farmland wildlife - including birds such as curlews. These vary from growing appropriate crops to managing river corridors, fencing woodlands and restoring walls and hedges.

Several bird species that breed at Lake Vyrnwy receive particular attention. These include three raptors, the hen harrier, merlin and peregrine, whose habitat we manage in order to provide suitable breeding conditions and enough prey.

What people are saying about Lake Vyrnwy

Absolutely beautiful place - we enjoyed the day out immensely and the visit to the RSPB hide was really superb. We stayed for ages.

June Knight

The dam overflowing was spectacular and the noise immense, the RSPB shop very well stocked with really helpful and friendly staff a credit to the RSPB.

Steve Cotterill

We always love to come to Vyrnwy. Grateful thanks to the staff for their friendly welcome and informative chats. We saw an oystercatcher on its visit to the dam and siskins, great spotted woodpeckers and a nuthatch, amongst others, from the hide.

The Saunders Family

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Well-stocked shop, cinema with regular showings of a film featuring the reserve, and lots of family events from bat and owl walks to farm fun days. Special trails for children, including a new nestbox trail, an ever-growing sculpture park trail and the exciting new natural play area with den building, slide, balance beams over a stream and mud kitchen.

Leisure activities

Set in the most stunning location, the 12-mile cycle route around the lake is a great way to take in the remote mountains, ancient woodlands and thick forest, expansive waters and the iconic neo-Gothic water tower. You can enjoy these sights at a pleasant pace by cycling some or all of the lake perimeter that is just over 12 miles (19 km). It's quite a flat route with little motor traffic. There are two outlets on the reserve which rent out bicycles.

Explore one the five nature trails, of varying capabilities, with a walks leaflet available in our reserve shop. Take an inspiring stroll through the sculpture park and along the river, or up to the Rhiwagor waterfall. Bring a picnic and relax at one of the viewing points along the lake. Visit the three bird hides and partake in regular nature events like our dawn chorus and nightjar walks.